Mavericks Roll Out Bizarre Starting Five Featuring Caleb Martin and Cooper Flagg
Underdog NBA tweeted the lineup alert on Monday.
The are rolling out a starting five of Kyrie Irving, Caleb Martin, Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington, and for Monday's matchup against the Indiana . Underdog NBA dropped the lineup alert, and it officially looks like Jason Kidd is treating his rotation like a late-night fantasy basketball dart throw.
There are lineup tweaks, and then there is whatever this is. Starting Caleb Martin in the year 2026 when he is averaging a microscopic 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game is certainly a choice. It is the kind of move that makes you refresh your timeline just to make sure a parody account did not get verified again.
But maybe the madness has a method. Dallas is coming off a 130-93 absolute dismantling of the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Before that blowout, they looked completely lost, dropping three straight games to the Sacramento Kings, , and while giving up buckets to anyone who asked nicely.
The real draw here is the spacing and usage around Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg. With Irving fully healthy and running the offense, sliding Martin into the starting group alongside Washington and Gafford gives Dallas a gritty, defense-first shell. It essentially forces Flagg and Irving to take every meaningful shot, which is exactly what the people want anyway.
For the sickos staring at player props tonight, this rotation shift is a massive headache. Martin is going to see a heavy minute spike from his usual 18 a night, but trusting him to hit an over is a spiritual journey. Meanwhile, the rebounding numbers for Washington and Gafford are suddenly at risk with Flagg eating up usage in the frontcourt.
We will find out immediately if this group has actual chemistry or if they just look good on a whiteboard. The Indiana are in town tonight, and if this starting five comes out flat, expect the to shuffle the deck again before the week is over.